While I can appreciate the allegorical aspects of that episode, and appreciate the "Literary Science Fiction" feel to that story (as if it was a short story written by Ray Bradbury in a Science Fiction Anthology magazine), I can't help but think those half-black/half-white faces wouldn't quite work in a major motion picture.

But, yeah -- I agree that the story told in "LTBYLB" could be a great movie, but if executed in a slightly different manner.

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Really, there was a lot of stuff in the Countdown leading up to the last movie that wasn't in the film or even referenced. The cover of this comic might just indicate that something to do with LTBYLB is in the comic.

I enlarged the comic cover and you can definitely see the Enterprise on the left side of the cover headed towards (or coming from) what appears to be a object above the Entrrprise shaped just like the doomsday machine. Go check it out and enlarge it. There is no doubt!!

Ok, KingDaniel. But how would they explain it in a film? In ST2009 Spock Prime explained about Nero by vulcan mind meld and many people didn´t understand. Unless it has many flashbacks.

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What needs to be established? Mitchell and Kirk were friends in TOS, they crossed the Great Barrier and Mitchell's eyes went funny and he got Telepathic powers. There's really nothing of Mitchell's history that needs to be explained, and they don't even need to make Mitchell and Kirk old friends.

He could just be sitting at a station on the Bridge without any introduction other than Kirk calling out his name and rank and asking for a status, and whatever causes Gary Mitchell to become the Villian happens.

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My thinking is that if it is Mitchell, he'll be on the ship commanded by Peter Weller, and that's the one that is affected and causes Mitchell to turn into the god-like person.

I still think the movie will somehow draw from the book "Heart of Darkness", and it will entail Mitchell becoming like a god to an alien race, with Kirk and crew assigned to find him and stop him.

^
^^ I wouldn't mind seeing another retelling of Heart of Darkness -- this time in a major science fiction motion picture. It's been almost 35 years since the last major retelling (Apocalypse Now), and it would be interesting to see the story told against a sci-fi (i.e., "futuristic") backdrop.

However, I'm not sure if I want a Star Trek film to venture into the territory of retelling that story. If not done subtly enough, it may seem too obvious that's what they are trying to do (put a Star Trek spin on Heart of Darkness), and that could end up seeming trite.

I love Benedict. Just as an actor and a person, he has this presence that is intoxicating.

I'd be disapointed if JJ was doing a Khan rehash, doesn't need doing IMHO, Montalban did it perfectly the first time, perfectly the second time. Although, theres no telling what JJ will do. However, a Gary Mitchell retelling would be pretty awesome.

I enjoyed the countdown to the previous movie, got my Star Trek mojo back aftert losing it in the early 2000s. Hope this is as good.

Also, if it is a doomsday machine story would be pretty sweet too. We could have Weller as Commodore Decker and Cumberbatch as the physical manipulative manifestation of the doomsday machine that works as a mind of honey trap for planets and/or civilisations that the planet killer has been programmed to seek out and destroy.